Coal-washing apparatus.



C. A. WENDELL. COAL WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. I915.

a J 7 8 mm y g N ,QN w MN N m MN! mo 00 Q v 1/ e k f 1., LIL 1 a k C: A. WENDELL.

.COAL WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 19x5.

1,165,734. v Patented Dec, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CARL A. WENDELL, OF JULIET, ILLINOIS.

COAL-WASHING APPARATUS.

License.

Application filed March 8, 1915. Serial No. 12,919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL A. WENDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joliet, in the county of Will and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coal-l vashing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to coal washing apparatus and has particular reference to a novel apparatuswherein pulsations are created by means of extremely low pressure air and without need for a Vacuum.

Inthe operation of washing coal in order to remove therefrom the slate and other impurities it is not uncommon to employ an agitator in connection with a body of water whereby concentrating actiBn is secured. This operation is frequently carried out in connection with a bed of material such as feldspar superposed on a screen through which the particles of slate and such materials may pass.

My improvement relates to means for causing the agitation of the water and nia-.

terials at a minimum cost the result being secured without the use of water plungers, gearing, shafting, and so forth with the result that an extremely economical and efficient apparatus is provided.

The invention isv predicated upon the assumption that the reciprocation of the water may be caused by air pressure, the pressure being alternately reduced and restored to atmospheric. lhis air pressure, although relatively small, acts upon a comparatively large area and therefore causes the reciprocation or agitation of the body of water with ease.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 showing a device constructed in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that on the supports I mount an outer hopper-like casing 11 having an inwardly and upwardly inclined top 12 apertured at intervals to register with air supply pipes 13, these pipes connected with a header 1% which is in turn connected to an exhaust fan, not shown. A simple form of valve is shown ir- Fig. 1 by means of which the required pulsating action 15 Specification of Letters Patent.

washed coal and the water Patented Dec. 28,1915.

secured. This valve may consist in a valve proper 1.5 controlled by a plunger 16, the valve being caused to reciprocate vertically by the cam 17. This valve is in a sense only diagrammatic of means for creating a pulsating action on the air, and as the valve forms no part of the present application its details need not be described or shown.

Located within the outercasing 11 is a hopper-like inner casing 18 within which a screen 19 is located near the top. The top 20 of the casing 18 is slightly above the cover 12 of the outer casing. The lower end of the inner casing is open and registers with a container 21 into which the refuse is directed and from which it may be removed by actuating the slide valves Be tween the inner and outer casings and located near the top thereof is a plunger in the form of a flat ring Q-l to which suitable bellows 25 are connected, the upper ends of the bellows being fastened to angles and plates 26 having a water-tight connection tothe walls to which they are secured. It f thus follows that the space above the ring and the bellows 25 'is water-tight and acts as a dome or air drum.

in operation water is supplied to the two containers through the pipes '27 until it overflows the top 20 of the casing 18. A bed of feldspar or similar material is supplied to the screen 19 and thereafter the coal to be washed which has previously been crushed is supplied to the axial center of the screen. lreferably the weight of the ring 24 and its associated parts is equal to the weight of water corresponding to the difference in height between the lower edge of the plunger '24 the top edge 20 of the hopper 18. This results in a balanced condition, and a very slight reduction of air pressure within the chamber above the lunger results in raising the plunger by the added weight of water in the inner shell. Reversely the restoration of the pressure conditions within. the chamber causes the elevation of the water and its discharge over the edge of the container 18. Inasmuch as these fluctuations in pressure are intended to follow each other with extreme rapidity the material on the screen 19 will be agitated and the heavier particles of slate or refuse will stratify and pass through the feldspar bed and through the screen dropping to the lower portion of the container. The are discharged said sealed container, a bellows iii around the top :20 of the inner container and flow down into the chute or spill-way 28 being discharged at 99 from which point the material is taken to a sump or mechanical driers. It the weight of the plunger member does not exactly balance the weight of water within the inner container, additional weight may be added thereto by utilizing the pockets or recesses 30 in the upper edge of the ring 24;.

By use of an apparatus such as described substantially all friction losses are eliminated, the only friction developed being that ofthe water tainers.

Obviously the construction is capable of much modification and such modification as is-within the scope of my claims I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a coal washing device, the combination of concentrically arranged containers, the outer of which is sealed to the atmosphere, a plunger within said outer container, said plunger adapted to prevent the passage of water thereby, a screen within said inner container, means for 1 neumatically acting upon the plunger in said sealed container and thereby causing a pulsation oi" the water within said inner container and the agita-' tion of the mater1al on the screen, substantlally as described.

2. In a coal washing jig, the combination of adjacent containers adapted to receive washing liquid, the top of one of said containers being scaled to the atmosphere, a freely vertically reciprocable plunger within connecting said plunger to said containers said bellows adapted to prevent the passage of water by said plunger, and pneumatic means for causing the reciprocation of said plunger thereby causing a pulsation of the water within said and air in their respective coninner container and the agitation of the material on the screen, substantially as described;

3. In a coal washing jig, the combination of a pair of concentrically arranged shells the outer of which is sealed to the atmosphere, a plunger within said outershell near the top thereof, a bellows yieldingly connecting said plunger to said shells, said bellows adapted to prevent the passage of water by said bellows and said plunger, said plunger being of a size capable of acting upon an area of liquid substantially equal to the area of the inner shell whereby the liquid is maintained at unequal heightsin the two containers, and pneumatic means for causing the reciprocation of said plunger and thereby the agitation of liquid within said inner container, substantially as described.

4. In a coal washing jig, the combination of axially arranged containers the outer of which is sealed to the atmosphere, a plunger and a bellows, said plunger and bellows separating the upper portion of said outer container and forming. a pneumatic chamber, means for supporting a body of coal within said inner container, and pneumatic means acting in said air chamber to periodically reduce and increase the pressure within said chamber whereby said plunger is caused to reciprocate and agitate the Water in the inner and outer containers, said water and washed coal being discharged over the outer edge of said inner container, substantially as described.

In. Witness whereof I have hereunto signed mv'name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' CARL A. WENDELL.

Witnesses:

THoMAs J. SAMPSON, VVILBUR C. FRY, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of.lPatents.

Washington, D. G. 

